With the rapid development of quantum communications technology, quantum key distribution (Quantum Key Distribution, QKD) is becoming a mature applied technology. The technology is based on the no-clone theory and the uncertainty principle in quantum mechanics, and a generated key has a theoretically absolute security and is mainly applied to a scenario requiring a high security level. A conventional quantum key distribution hardware apparatus mainly includes an optical transceiver and an electronics board. The optical transceiver includes a light source board, an light path component and a detector, and the electronics board is mainly used for data processing, key generation and key management.
When the quantum key distribution hardware apparatus is being used, since components of the electronics board and the optical transceiver are independent and separate, multiple signal input/output interfaces of the electronics board are connected to corresponding interfaces of the light source board, the light path component and the detector of the optical transceiver, to form a quantum key distribution system, and the formed quantum key distribution system is applied to practical applications.
Those skilled in the art find the following disadvantages when using the quantum key distribution hardware apparatus:
The electronics board, the light source board, the light path component and the detector included in the quantum key distribution system are placed separately, thus testing, maintenance and management of the whole system are decentralized, and integrated management is hard to realize; and when a quantum key distribution network formed by multiple quantum key distribution systems is being used, networking of the quantum key distribution systems is complicated, and the management and the maintenance are more difficult.